For the week of July 3 - 9, 2002

Dressage show back at River Grove Farm

Idaho’s largest show, over the Fourth

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Combine the Fourth of July holiday, the precise movements of dressage horses and the beautiful setting of River Grove Farm north of Hailey.

And what you’ve got is the Wood River Dressage Show, Idaho’s largest, over the Independence Day weekend.

The show will be staged Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7. Admission is free. Programs and lunch will be available for purchase on the grounds.

Peggy and Parry Thomas’ incomparable River Grove Farm one half-mile north of Hailey along S.H. 75 is the setting—and what a setting it is.

The trademark dark green umbrellas with white tables and chairs have created a spectator-friendly venue for what has become an increasingly popular social event.

River Grove Farm’s new dressage arena is carved out of the cottonwoods and green lawns adjacent to the "warm-up" arena just west of the original competition arena. And the new dressage arena may be ready.

You don’t need to know much about horses to become enchanted with the intricacies of dressage and the beauty of the horse and riders trying to achieve harmony when faced with a minefield of movements.

This year’s show will pack two days with rides ranging from Training Level (beginners) to the upper echelon of internationally-governed competition classes. Nationally ranked riders and horses are due to compete.

Locally, the most noted rider is River Grove Farm’s Debbie McDonald, who recently returned from two weeks of grueling competition on the East Coast. She and her mare Brentina were the top-ranking pair in the country at the Grand Prix level, highest level obtainable in dressage.

McDonald, headed for the World Equestrian Games in Spain, will be riding two of her up-and-coming horses this weekend, including Felix, who has qualified to go to Europe.

Highlights this weekend include Saturday’s "FEI" tests that measure the most difficult levels of dressage. They start at 1:15 p.m. Saturday. Sunday’s musical freestyle class, always a favorite, starts at 2 p.m.

Show hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.